NHS Direct staff in Exeter face redundancies

Southwest Ambulance Trust plans to absorb staff from the defunct NHS Direct site at Exeter have run into trouble and staff have been told that the takeover could lead to redundancies.

As of Monday 4th November over 30 staff from the NHS Direct site in Exeter were transferred into the new Southwest Ambulance NHS Trust Service at Sowton.

They will continue to provide the 111 service for Somerset, but are now under control of the Ambulance Service as an employer.

It is understood that NHS direct are now in the process of making several staff redundant from the Exeter branch whose skills could not be matched to the continuation of the contract with the ambulance service.

Staff transferred over include a mixture of clinical and managerial staff.

One disgruntled staff member from Exeter who has been transferred over has said “working for NHS direct has been deeply unsettling for many staff in the past and it is to be hoped that the ambulance service recognise the strengths and the commitment of the staff they have transferred in.” 

The service is continuing to be run from the existing ambulance head quarters in Sowton, Exeter.  The southwest ambulance service is expected to complete the take over of the Cornwall 111 project in the new year.